TRANSCRIPT
- Extra security measures announced for Sydney New Year events
- A strong earthquake shakes Taiwan
- Controversy over the MCG cricket pitch
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has urged people to not let the weather or unease after the Bondi attack affect their New Year's plans with families.
He says extra measures are being taken to ensure the community is safe.
"It is really important that if you are going to spend time with your family and friends that you do just that. And I want to send a clear message that New South Wales Police will be out in massive numbers. In some cases, carrying firearms and weapons that you haven't seen before, but we judge is absolutely necessary to send a clear message that we will keep the public safe and we do everything we can to restore confidence as Sydneysiders go about enjoying the most beautiful city on Earth. We can't let these people win."
Waverley mayor Will Nemesh says the New Year's Eve celebrations have been cancelled at Bondi Beach, but other events are still on.
Mr Nemeshs ays in the New Year, the local council will meet to discuss plans for gatherings for January 26.
He says local businesses have experienced a downturn in activity - and he is urging patrons to come back.
"There has been a downturn in patronage where their patronage should really be increasing but it has decreased. And we need to be there for them, particularly at this time."
---
A minute's silence will feature as part of the New Year's Eve event on the Sydney Harbour foreshore in tribute to the 15 lives lost in the Bondi attack.
At 9pm on New Year’s Eve, the Harbour Bridge will shine white, with the word 'peace' and the image of a dove projected onto it.
The New South Wales Minister for Multiculturalism, Stephen Kamper, says it will be an important way to bring in the New Year.
"We will continue to work on how we honour the loved ones in the future. We will always live with the memory of these beautiful people and we will continue to work through - even here locally as well."
---
A flood watch is in place for much of northern Queensland, with conditions expected to intensify over the next 24 hours.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the flood event could last through to New Year's Day, with daily rainfall totals in excess of 200 millimetres forecast for places like Longreach.
Jonathan How, from the Bureau of Meteorology, has urged people to stay across the latest warnings.
"More broadly across Northern Queensland, we do have a flood watch which extends all the way from Mackay coast up towards Cairns, and then across to the Gulf Country and then down towards Channel Country. And this is because we are expecting to see widespread monsoonal rain and storms over the coming days, which could cause further rivers and creeks to rise. So we are expecting to issue flood warnings, once the rain does start to fall."
---
A 6.6 magnitude earthquake has struck off Taiwan's northeastern coast, shaking buildings across the capital in Taipei.
Residents have been warned to be on the alert for aftershocks in the next 24 hours.
The US Geological Survey says the epicentre located at 32.3 kilometres east of Yilan County in the sea, at a depth of 72.8 kilometres.
Authorities say the damage from the earthquake was relatively limited - because it struck deep offshore.
The Taiwan Power Company says more than 3,000 homes in Yilan briefly lost power.
This resident in Yilan County says the entire episode was frightening.
"We were in the room back there back there when the earthquake started. It suddenly shook back and down. People shouted, ‘big earthquake!’ Then it switched to horizontal shaking. It was very scary."
---
In cricket, there's been has scrutiny over the pitch and the role that it played with the fourth Ashes Test finishing within two days.
Ten millimetres of grass was left on the surface, three more than the previous year.
England ended an 18-Test winless streak in Australia with their four-wicket triumph on Saturday, but England captain Ben Stokes says he wasn't impressed with the condition of the pitch.
MCG head curator Matt Page says he left the grass on the pitch longer so it wouldn't deteriorate as quickly.
"We left it longer because we knew we were going to get weather at the back end that we knew we needed our grass at. You look back at it and yo go, well it's favoured the bowlers too much on day 1 and day 2. Now, if that doesn't happen, we set ourselves up really good for, I guess day three and day four."
